A.A. Beliefs About
Alcoholism
There is no official creed of A.A. belief about
alcoholism, since individual members are unbound to trust whatever they
wish based on their own understanding. Even the core twelve step program
is offered to members as not compulsory rather than obligatory. While AA
literature asserts that "our twelve steps are only suggestions", many
more traditional members assert that today's diminished stress
on "Step Work" has resulted in a drastic turn down in AA's success rate.
In the early days of AA, say critics of today's meeting-centered brand
of Alcoholics Anonymous, the 12 Steps were compulsory and attending
meetings was optional. They assert that during this time, AA experienced
75-90% success rates of recovery. In recent years
however, the Fellowship has changed its outlook greatly and now many
veteran AA members direct newcomers that meetings are obligatory while
placing less importance on "working the steps".
Many A.A. members share comparable views on alcoholism and most would agree
with the following statements:
* Alcoholism has no treatment. Once an alcoholic, always an alcoholic. There
is no way to make a "normal" drinker out of an alcoholic. Nor is there
any way to turn a non-alcoholic into an alcoholic. Alcoholics who do not
drink can get better and function in society, but should they drink
again, their active alcoholism will re-emerge immediately and be as
devastating as before. This is true even in cases where alcoholics have
stayed sober for many years before relapsing.
* Alcoholism is a progressive disease. Over time, alcoholics who
go on drinking will get worse. Those who keep drinking will frequently die
from alcohol-related causes or be institutionalized (prison, hospital or
asylum).
* The first drink does the damage. Once an alcoholic takes a drink, a
mighty craving for more alcohol begins. This makes moderation or
controlled drinking nearly unfeasible. Thus the A.A. approach of
abstinence. Without the first drink, the desire cannot occur. Much of
the A.A. program is intended to help the alcoholic to abstain, in that
way stopping the compulsive drinking cycle from beginning.
